When the opportunity arises
by VampwithAttitude
Summary: When the night class visits Ruka's house in the holidays Aidou is left alone. Then, when an injured Zero turns up, his holiday takes a different turn and changes everything he ever thought about Kiryu. Zero/Aidou


Aidou yawned and stretched his arms until he felt them click. He was bored. The rest of the night class were visiting the Souen house at a request from Ruka's father who was hoping to make Kaname see her as a potential wife. He'd passed her offer to join them. She hadn't pushed. Usually when the group went to each other's houses there'd be some extravagant greeting and probably a ball of some kind. Seeing as it was Ruka's family they were visiting this time, he supposed it would be for at least 4 weeks. Maybe more. This meant he had at least half of the summer holidays to himself. Alone. In the big, dark, moon dorm.

"Urgh" he said with frustration, tossing the book he'd been holding across the room "Jeez...Vampire hunter! Hunter finds vampire. Hunter kills Vampire. Hunter falls in love. Hunter retires! The same old thing. Every. Time!" He sighed and placed a hand over his eyes "Talking to yourself means you're crazy Hanabusa" he mumbled mock-sternly before groaning and standing up.

He fixed his clothes from their rumbled state and yawned again. Now that no one was here to see him he'd decided not to dress so formally all the time and resorted to just jeans and a black shirt with a white hoodie draped over it. They were all really big on him as he'd only borrowed them from Akatsuki.

The only informal clothes he had now were too small as he'd stopped wearing them when he'd come of age. Using one of Ruka's brown belts he's tightened the jeans several notches and just left the shirt and hoodie to billow around him. The shirt looked more like a dress now but because no one could see him he didn't really care.

Picking the crumpled book up, he closed it and placed it on the sofa with a soft thud.

"Might as well sleep" He said to himself, shrugging and pulled the hoodie closer. He was only wearing socks and felt strangely domestic walking up the stairs feeling all warm and cosy and smelling of Akatsuki which helped as it was a familiar smell.

* * *

Aidou's hand closed on the door handle to his and Kain's room, he'd felt something within his heightened senses as if something was wrong. As if someone was in his room. But that couldn't be right. No one was here. Shaking his head for letting his stupid imagination get even more bizarre, he opened the door.

Crossing over to the wardrobe, he pulled off his shirt and then opened the doors. He carefully took out his folded night clothes and pulled on his pale blue shirt. Then he began to take his jeans off.

"I hope you don't plan to strip" Aidou felt his blood freeze when he heard the gruff voice. He spun around quickly, pulled his jeans up as the same time.

"Kiryu!" He gasped, heat rising to his cheeks before realising that Zero was hurt "What are you _doing_ here? Whose blood is that? Yours? Is Cross Yuuki alright?" He clenched his fists and straightened his back "How long were you standing there?"

Zero didn't answer any of his questions and it was clear that he was using all his strength just to stand up. As he began to tilt forwards Aidou rushed forwards and supported him to the bed.

"Sit down" he said, and Zero sank gratefully onto the covers, his breathing harsh and ragged.

"No" he said and Aidou frowned at him confused "Yuuki is not hurt and this blood is not mine. Well," he grimaced and pulled his sticky shirt away from his chest "Some of it isn't" he sighed "I thought vampires heal quickly"

"We do" Aidou said, sounding offended "_You're_ not a proper vampire yet" He stood up "You can't go out like that. People will ask questions. I'll get you some clothes."

"No need" Zero said "I came to tell Kaname something. Then I'll be outta your hair"

"_Lord _Kaname isn't here" Aidou said going to the door "None of the night class is. It's just me. Stay here" He closed the door and then leant on it on the other side. He blew out his cheeks and 'hmmed' slightly amused by the situation.

* * *

'I wonder if he'd fit into Takuma's clothes' Aidou thought as he looked at Takuma's eccentric wardrobe 'the only person whose Zero's size is Kaname but he can't wear his clothes' Picking one of Takuma's rather mellow clothes he folded them and set off back towards his room. 'Why am I even helping him? I hate him'

_No you don't. You like him deep down. You always have_. Aidou shook his head as if the little voice in his ear would fall out and leave him alone. Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity he opened the door to his room for the second time that night only to find that Zero wasn't there.

Feeling anger building up inside him he growled softly under his breath.

"Why that-!" Just then he heard a sound and it took a moment to place it. The shower. Huffing softly he went over to it, his brain not supplying useful advice as to what he may find "You know it's polite to ask if you-" He faltered in his words as Zero yanked the bloody trousers he was wearing up quickly. Aidou quickly turned around, his cheeks burning and he knew they were probably very, very red.

"I-I'm sorry" And then he ran out of the room.

Aidou looked up sharply when he felt Zero's presence in the room. The silver haired teen had abandoned putting on his ripped and ruined shirt and was just wearing his trousers. His hair was still wet.

"I-um-I brought you some clothes" Aidou stammered "I'm not sure if they fit or not so if you want I can..." he trailed off when Zero simply picked the clothes up and left the room. After a while there was a loud bang in the bathroom and Aidou jumped.

"Kiryu?" he called out hesitantly before standing up and going to investigate. Zero was on the floor, one hand on his chest and he was breathing just as harsh as he was before "What happened?" Zero grunted with pain and shut his eyes. Aidou knelt beside him and checked his back where most of the blood was coming from. Takuma's clothes lay neatly on a stool in the corner.

"Got into-a bit of a-tumble-with a Level E" Zero explained between pants, Aidou stared at him and then transferred his gaze to the wound on Zero's right shoulder blade.

"Must've been a pretty wild one" Aidou said lightly as he got up to get some bandages, he thought he heard Zero chuckle behind him but it was gone so quickly that he wasn't sure if he'd imagined it or not.

"There may have been more than one" Zero said just as lightly and Aidou smiled to himself. He lifted the rolled bandages and knelt down again.

"Until you heal I'll just bandage these up" Aidou said and Zero just grunted "I'll have to keep changing them though, once the blood soaks through"

"How long do you think I plan on staying here?" Zero muttered and Aidou blinked.

"Ngh, of course, you're right. Cross Yuuki can do it or something for you" He stood up, leaving the bandages by Zero who picked them up.

"Are you kidding?" He said "She'd panic if she saw me like this. She'd probably think I was dying"

"Then who's going to bandage you then?" Aidou said in irritation "The Chairman?"

"Ha! Not likely"

"Then who? You can't do it yourself"

"Why not?"

"Because you can't!" Aidou slammed a hand on the sink, no idea why he was angry "Now would you just go?" He could feel Zero's gaze burning a hole in his head but he refused to turn around. He knew his face was probably red and angry and glancing up he saw that there was a mirror in front of him and Zero could see it. He bit his lip and looked at Zero's face. The Level D had a blank expression but just as turned to leave his expression changed to form into a bemused smirk.

* * *

Aidou sighed and closed his eyes. He went back into his bedroom and sat on his bed for a long time. Mixed emotions running high. Anger at Zero for leaving him feeling so irritated. Disappointment at Zero for turning away his help and concern. And confusion at Zero's expression when he'd left.

Then, after realising that he wouldn't get any sleep after all he rolled off his bed and padded downstairs.

He picked up some matches on the window sill as he left and lit some candles on the way down.

That was when he saw Zero's body lying on the floor. With a gasp, he ran towards him. Sliding an arm underneath him, he half lifted Zero and then lay him on the sofa. Zero groaned and opened his eyes.

"I couldn't get out the door" He grumbled and then winced "Something under me" Aidou blinked and lifted Zero again so that he could save his book from being crushed.

"Sorry" he said quietly, placing the book on the floor by his knees "There is one thing that could help you, you know"

"No way" Zero said shaking his head.

"Well, fine" Aidou mumbled "It's for your own good but if you don't want to get better then..."

"You're not going to convince me" Zero growled "Just help me up and I can get back to my own dorm"

"Help yourself up" Aidou huffed, standing up and walking away, he went into the kitchen and poured some water into a glass, dropping a blood tablet into it he drank some and then made a second glass as an afterthought. When he came back Zero was still lying there. As he's suspected.

"Here" he said, passing the glass to Zero.

"No thanks"

"Take the damn thing and drink it will you!"

"I don't want it" Zero insisted.

"Then you can't get back to your dorm" Aidou set the glass down and sat on the opposite sofa "In fact, you can't go anywhere with a wound like that"

"Then I'll just lie here and _bleed_ to death" Aidou grit his teeth.

"Why do you always have to do things the stupid and hard way?" He shouted "Why is it so hard for you to do as someone says or to just drink something you may not like, if it'll make you feel better! Just think of it as medicine!"

"Medicine doesn't make you choke and gag so much that it hurts" Aidou stopped.

"You can't take them?" he asked looking over at the drink and back again. Zero shook his head.

"Tried" Zero struggled to sit up but he fell back down again immediately. Aidou sighed.

"Come on then" he said, helping Zero up "The only thing I can do for you now then is to make you get some sleep. That should help"

"Why are you helping me?" Zero said gruffly as he stood up with Aidou's help "You hate me and I hate you"

"Well, I wouldn't say I hate you" Aidou said, not looking at him "I suppose I do when you're rude to Kaname but other than that I only dislike you a bit. I tend to hate a lot of people on first glance and then warm up to them. Like Kaname"

"You hated Kaname when you first met him?" Zero scoffed "That's hard to believe. You're completely in love with the guy" Aidou dug his nails into the arm he was using to support Zero and the silver haired winced.

"I do not _love_ him" Aidou said angrily "I've just committed my life to protecting him and being a good friend to him"

"Yeah right" Aidou dropped the arms he was using to keep Zero up and watched with slight amusement as the boy fell immediately "Alright!" Zero said in annoyance "I'm sorry"

"Too late" Aidou left him there and began to walk off.

"You can't just leave me here all night"

"Watch me"

* * *

Aidou was awake. He was lying awake on his bed, staring up at the ceiling with the blanket underneath him instead of on. Groaning he rolled over and tried to restrain his legs who were insisting to his brain that he should get up and go and help Zero when his brain was telling him to leave the jerk there all night. With a sigh he sat up and swung his legs over to the other side of the bed then he shivered. He'd never slept in the night before and it was rather scary but he did his best to fight away any freaky thoughts. Making up his mind he grabbed a dressing gown and went downstairs, pulling it on as he went.

"Kiryu?" He whispered into the pitch black room "Hellooo? Hey! Where are you?" He was met with a soft growl and froze "Kiryu?"

"Thirst-ee" That wasn't Zero. Aidou gulped and felt in his pockets for a match. He lit it and held it up to find himself face to face with a male Level E. The Vampire made a lunge for him and with a yell Aidou pushed it away and ran down the rest of the stairs past it. The wind he created as he ran snuffed out his match. He couldn't see. _Come on! I need to see or I can't fight it!_

Suddenly he felt something behind him, he tried to turn but a hand went around his waist and one on his mouth.

"They followed me here" A voice whispered in his ear and he sagged with relief. It was only Zero.

"They?" He whispered back when Zero removed his hands "What do you mean they?"

"There's a group of 'em" Zero explained "I killed two back at the market place before I got outnumbered. That's what I wanted to tell Kaname"

"If I could see I could freeze them. Where're the candles?"

"This is why you guys need light bulbs" Zero whispered

"How are you up and about anyway?" Aidou snapped back "The last time I saw you; you were helpless on the stairs"

"Adrenaline is an amazing cure for pain"

"Are you sure it wasn't fear?" Suddenly Zero's hands were on his mouth and waist again and he felt him pulling him back.

"You got matches?" Zero asked and Aidou nodded, he pulled them out and handed them to Zero. Once lit Aidou saw they were in a cupboard "Candles" Zero said, tossing them to Aidou.

* * *

Aidou was holding a candle and walking around the downstairs moon dorm. He'd placed candles everywhere downstairs and Zero was doing the same upstairs. Soon the whole place was alight.

"No sign of Level E's" He murmured to himself.

"They're gone" Aidou jumped at the voice behind him, he whirled around and froze the hand that was coming to land on his shoulder "Calm down blonde. It's just me" Aidou flushed and took a step back "Mind unfreezing my hand?" Aidou scowled but unfroze Zero's fingers nonetheless.

"What do you mean they've gone?" he asked.

"They're not here" Zero said with a shrug "Checked everywhere. But I'm guessing they'll be back" He looked at Aidou's arm and his eyes flashed red before he quickly looked away. Aidou looked at his own arm and realised he was bleeding.

"Oh great" he said, pulled the ruined sleeve upwards to take a look at the wound better.

"Could you not do that here" Aidou looked up to see that Zero was grinding his teeth and clenching his fists. Trying hard not to look at the blood.

"Oh yeah, you're not good with blood are you?" He pulled his sleeve back down and fought back a wince "Can I have the bandages?" Zero reached into his pockets and handed them to Aidou, he winced as he stretched his injured back but quickly recovered.

"Maybe you should sit down" Aidou suggested "After all, your adrenaline is probably on the low" Zero gave him a look but did as he was asked. For once.

"Guess I'm staying then" Zero said, laying back on the sofa and putting his arms behind his head "Till I'm well enough to fight of course"

"What do you mean fight?"

"Did you look out the windows yet?" Zero said and Aidou shook his head, wrapping the bandage loosely around his arm "The Level E's. They're outside. Waiting. I've locked the windows upstairs and until I can fight them off we're both stuck here"

"I can fight them" Aidou said nonchalantly "Easily"

"Yeah, you did a real good job back there" Aidou shot him a glare.

"I couldn't see! It was dark"

"And it will be dark again when they decide to attack" Aidou sighed "Even if you could fight them. You can't get all of them. Only a few came in here. You'd need help. I've got Artemis and the bloody rose"

"Fair enough. Stay" Aidou said, pulling his ripped sleeve back down after he'd finished bandaging it "You keep to your side, I keep to mine"

"I don't need you to tell me that"

* * *

"Can you remember how to cook?" Aidou asked, sitting on the sofa opposite Zero who was trying to bandage himself up on his own.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Zero looked up and saw Aidou's hopeful face "No" he said at the blondes expression.

"Oh come on, I'm starving!" Aidou complained, all I've eaten for days is ice-cream.

"Depressed that Kaname's left you?" Zero cracked and grabbed the pillow that was thrown at him.

Aidou glowered at him and sat back on the sofa. Zero sighed.

"I suppose I owe you" he stood up after bandaging himself but still winced at the pain "What do you want?"

"I don't know" Aidou shrugged "Food"

"You gonna eat as much as you did last time?"

"Probably, like I said. I've only eaten ice-cream"

"Fine, I'll make a bowl of noodles" Zero said scratching the back of his head "That way you can have as much as you want and I can get some too"

* * *

"Can I help? I've never cooked before"

"No"

"Why not? Would you rather make it all yourself?" A sigh.

"Take that knife and chop these up"

They worked in silence, every once in a while Aidou would pop something into his mouth and Zero would shoot him a look which would be pointedly ignored.

The seventh time Aidou ate something Zero grabbed his hand.

"What?" Aidou mumbled with his mouth full "I'm hungry"

"And if you keep eating those then there won't be any for the noodles" Zero replied angrily.

"Fine" Zero let go of his hand and retracted it, as he did the cufflinks on his sleeve got caught in the bandages on Aidou's arm "Ow!" Aidou pulled his arm away from Zero and the bandages unwrapped. The smell of blood was thick in the close proximity of the two boys and before Aidou could move away Zero was behind him and holding him in a vice-like grip "No-I-Kiryu"

He struggled but froze when he felt Zero's tongue sliding over his exposed neck "Ngh! Kiryu-don't"

He tried to squirm away but could hear Zero's breath in his ear and knew what was going to happen "Let go!" Zero's fangs bit down on his neck and Aidou's eyes widened with a gasp. He stayed absolutely still as Zero drank his blood before coming to his senses and elbowing Zero hard in the stomach. He felt the other boy's fangs leave his neck and heard him fall. He backed away, holding his bleeding neck, staring at Zero on the floor until his eyes turned back to their normal colour.

Zero licked his lips, realised what he was tasting and leapt off the floor.

"Aidou-sempai. I-I couldn't-" Aidou removed his hand from his neck and checked how much blood was there. A lot.

"Forget it" he said vaguely "Happens to the best of us sometimes" he was too distracted with his blood than to deal with Zero's guilt. Zero's eyes were red again at the sight of it but he was restraining himself.

"Go" he said to Aidou "Go now"

* * *

Aidou stared at his reflection as he cleaned the blood away. He was trying to figure out _why_ he wasn't _angry_ at Zero. Why he didn't care that the older boy had bit him and drank his blood. And why he was allowing him to stay in the dorm with him. He bit his lip and bent over the sink.

_I don't understand._

He sighed and glanced at his arm, the wound had healed by now, no one would ever even know it had been there. The bite marks however...

Aidou inspected them and sighed again. Then he grabbed a band-aid and pressed it over them.

"For now" he said to his reflection with a small nod and then went back into the kitchen. Zero wasn't there "Where-?"

"You still hungry?" Zero asked him when he left the kitchen, Zero had set the table with the bowl of noodles, two hot steamy plates already there.

"You bet" Aidou smiled but Zero didn't return it. He was looking at the band-aid on Aidou's neck. He covered it with a hand "Forget about it Zero" he said softly and Zero blinked at the use of his first name "Thanks for making it"

"It's the least I could do" Zero said sheepishly and Aidou smiled again. Oh, _I could get used to a guilty Zero_.

* * *

"Well?" Aidou looked up to find Zero looking at him intensely.

"Um, well what?" he asked hesitantly, Zero scooped some noodles into his mouth and swallowed.

"Is it good?"

"Oh, yeah it's ok I guess" Zero's hands gripped the fork tighter but he didn't say anything and Aidou smirked "Better than anything Ruka could make anyway. She's the only one who bothers to cook"

Zero smiled slightly looking at his plate and continued eating.

"Can I have some more?" Zero looked at his spotless plate and raised his eyebrows but nodded.

"Help yourself. I made most of it for you after all"

"Mmmm" Aidou moaned as he ate some of the chicken Zero had put into the noodle "Now that was good" Zero laughed and Aidou froze at the sound. He'd never heard Zero laugh before. Ever. It was a nice sound, higher pitched than his normal voice and just...nice. Aidou grinned at Zero who to his surprise grinned back.

"Are you finished?" Zero asked, standing up and taking the plates.

"Mhmm" Aidou nodded and when he saw Zero wince he took the plates from him and took them in the kitchen "Go sit down" he said over his shoulder and Zero did as he was asked. For some reason, the concern filled helpful Aidou was reminding him of Yuuki. When Aidou came back Zero was stifling a yawn and Aidou saw that as an invitation to sleep. He helped Zero up and took him upstairs.

"Since there are creepy Level Es outside, I really don't wanna sleep on my own" Aidou said as he led Zero into his and Kain's room "So you can sleep in Akatsuki's bed"

"Won't he notice?" Zero asked as he lowered himself onto the bed.

"Just don't get blood on the sheets" Aidou warned him while he pulled his ripped shirt off and threw it in the bin. He pulled on an identical one and lay underneath the covers before rolling over to look at Zero. He was still in his uniform. Right...

"Oops" Aidou climbed out of bed "I'll get you some night-clothes. Takuma has pink ones but they're your size. You don't mind do you?" The look Zero gave him told him he really did mind "Um, ok, you can wear some of mine but you're much taller than me"

"Doesn't matter. At least it's not pink" Aidou nodded and pulled some out.

"Here" he passed them to Zero and went back into bed, when the rustling stopped he rolled over to see if Zero was in bed only to see Zero bending over with his trousers down.

"Ah!" he cried out before quickly turning around and pulling the blanket over his head. Zero straightened his back just as fast and turned to look at Aidou who was hiding under the pale blue duvet. He raised an eyebrow and pulled the short trousers up. Then he lay down on the bed and slid underneath the duvet.

"Do you like blue?" He asked into the silence, his voice sounding too loud.

"Hm?" Aidou took the duvet off his head and turned to look at him, his cheeks were bright red but Zero chose not to comment on it "Oh, I suppose" he looked down at his night-clothes and his duvet "It shows doesn't it" Zero grinned at the ceiling "Why'd you ask?"

"Making conversation. I don't really know much about you"

"How about we play a game?"

"What kind of game?" Zero rolled over to look at Aidou.

"You tell me something about yourself and then I tell you something and so on, so on"

"Alright" Zero propped himself up on one arm and Aidou snuggled deeper into the blankets "I used to have a twin brother who I was really close to"

"I have three older sisters"

"I like to cook"

"I like to sing" Zero raised his eyebrows.

"My favourite colour is yellow"

"My favourite colour is blue" Zero smirked.

"I like to eat fruits"

"I like to eat sweets" Zero rolled his eyes.

"My parents were murdered"

"My father used to like me"

"Used?"

"Uh Uh Uh, no questions, you tell me something and I'll answer it"

"Ok, I never really hated you"

"Really?"

"_Ahem_!"

"Oh, right. My dad used to love me but now he hates me because I've gotten further away from the family. Now he's always angry at me"

"I'm tired and sleepy"

"Me too"

"Goodnight Aidou" Aidou smiled at him.

"Night Kir-Zero" Zero smiled back.

* * *

Zero came down the stairs feeling much better than he had the other day and he smelt something burning. He came down the stairs slowly, taking it easy, since he still wasn't 100% better and then saw why he could smell that. Aidou was in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" he asked wearily as he took in the mess and the burnt toast.

"Making breakfast" Aidou said cheerily "I made some for you if you want" Zero took in the burst toast covered in thick jam and undercooked fried eyes.

"I'd love some"

* * *

"You know," Aidou said as he ate "You're not such a jerk when Kaname's not around"

"That's because when he's here I can't relax and when I can't relax I'm not in the best of moods" Zero ate some more of the toast. It wasn't as bad as he'd thought it'd be.

"Why can't you relax when he's here?"

"Because I don't trust him" Aidou was about to ask why but he sensed Zero's mood going down and decided not to pry.

"Ok" he said dismissively "Gimme your plate" he said once Zero was finished and he took them to the kitchen"

"What do you want to do? 'Cause I'm bored" he called from the kitchen and Zero went over to the window.

"I was thinking of getting rid of those Level Es"

"Really?" Aidou came up behind him and looked out the window too. At least 7 Level Es were there, ready and waiting "What are they waiting for?"

"For us to come to them" Zero said "And that's just what we're going to do"

"Why?"

"Because I feel good enough to fight them and I was hoping to go to the market place" Aidou blinked and then smiled.

"Ok"

* * *

The first Level E that lunged for Aidou was a young girl and she seemed mad to the point of insanity. He froze her and then compressed his ice so she exploded. He saw Zero slicing through a Level E woman with Artemis until she exploded in a cloud of dust.

There were still so many. _Why are they here_? A Level E's mechanical laugh filled the air and Aidou took a step back, trying to look for the source. Then it came again, around the back. He quickly ran around to see if he could catch the stray Level E but when he got there were no level E's to speak of.

"Huh?" He was about to leave when a small piece of the roof fell in front of him. He screamed and fell back from shock. Lying there for a while, he recovered his breath before getting up and venturing out again. Nothing happened so he kept walking.

* * *

**.**

Zero shot the nearest Level E with his bloody rose, trying to tamp down the fact that any one of them could have been him once. But he was a Level D now and these vampires could hurt the people still at the school. And that was his job. To protect them. He ran after one of the men who dashed off before he could get him and skidded to a halt when he went around the back. Aidou had his back to him and there was a Level E was on the roof; above him. Aidou was completely oblivious to the fact that he was being stalked.

"Aidou!" he shouted in warning and the blonde turned at the last second. Too late. The Level E attacked him and they both flew across the ground and through a door. Zero winced as he heard the splintered wood and ran after them. Inside the building he saw the level E on top of Aidou who was trying to fend him off with his legs and trying to pull his trapped hands out from the crack they'd been lodged in.

"Ngh, get _off_ me!" he kicked out at the Man but it was easily dodged. He laughed manically and sniffed at Aidou's neck.

"Cold" he rasped.

"What?" Aidou stopped kicking at the word and the Level E took advantage of that and tried to plunge it's teeth into Aidou. Zero side-swiped into it, knocking them both off their feet and then drove a bullet into its head.

"Putting you out of you misery" he said to himself before getting up to help Aidou.

"Thanks" Aidou said, dusting himself off "What did he mean, cold?"

"Your blood" Zero said in answer, picking up the rod that had fallen.

"My blood?"

"You're blood's cold" Zero said looking at him "Like your ice, and it's a hot day"

"What, so you're saying I'm like ice-cream on a hot day?" Aidou said with a scoff.

"Exactly" Zero said seriously and Aidou blinked "So be careful"

* * *

Zero was very irritated. He was irritated at something and he was venting his anger out on the Level Es which was very helpful but it didn't solve the problem. The problem was that he now felt something about Aidou that he'd never felt before. He felt like he had to protect him like he did Yuuki, be kind to him, tip-toe around his feelings and to make him smile all the time. And he didn't know why!

He shot the Level E in front of him twice until she would be still and then once more so she exploded. Then he put his gun away and went to look for Aidou. _I hope he's alright. _

"Urgh!" he said in annoyance at his own brain.

Just as he'd put his weapon away a Level E sprang him, before he could react he felt it rip into his shoulder and turn his old wound into a bigger and more painful one. He cried out and hit out at the Level E. Suddenly it turned into ice and then exploded. He heard footsteps and tried to roll over but he couldn't move.

"Stay still" It was Aidou; he supported Zero up and then took the gun "Wait here for one minute. There's one left" And then he was gone. Zero slumped against the wall and panted, holding his shoulder. After five minutes he decided to go after Aidou when the blonde came towards him, there was a small cut on his cheek which was disappearing as he watched.

"Come on"

* * *

Zero was in heaven. He was lying on a soft bed with his wound nice and bandaged with the pain ebbing away slowly and a beautiful blonde bathing his burning forehead with a lukewarm sponge.

"How are you feeling?" Aidou murmured; his voice so low it was relaxing.

"Better" Zero grunted, keeping his eyes closed. In his mind he could see Aidou's concerned face and then it suddenly morphed into Yuuki's and she said the same thing to him "How are you feeling Zero?"

'I suppose they are pretty alike' Zero thought to himself.

* * *

**.**

The next time Zero opened his eyes it was night and Aidou wasn't around. He got up, taking care not to over-stretch his wound and made his way downstairs. Aidou had his back to him on the sofa; he was lit up by a small glow from four candles on the table in front of him. Zero walked around and saw that the blonde was asleep sitting up. He smiled and gently took Aidou's head in his hands and lay him down softly on the sofa. The he stood back and watched him sleep for a while. Aidou was incredibly cute when he slept; he kept frowning as if sleep gave him bad thoughts.

Aidou's hand opened and whatever he was holding fell out, Zero quickly caught it and held it up to the light. It was a model, made of ice, a model of Zero sitting down and thinking. He stared at it and then placed it on the table. That's when he saw the rest. They were all lined up on the table in different positions.

Ruka in an elegant standing up position, Kain sitting cross-legged reading a book, Kaname just standing but it came off with the same aura he usually had, Rima with her umbrella standing, Shiki crouching with a glass of blood in his hand, Yuuki standing in an attack position with a determined face and holding Artemis ready, Takuma standing with his hands clapped together and laughing, and finally Zero sitting with hands on his knees with a thoughtful expression on his face. All of them, small, miniature, detailed and beautiful models. He looked at each of them in wonder and smiled broadly. He looked over at Aidou and then reached over and ruffled the blonde's hair. He moaned and shifted on the sofa and then cracked open his eyes.

"Zero?" he murmured softly "What are you doing up?" Aidou blinked at the soft expression on Zero's face, the candles were dancing shadows around his face and he looked ludicrously happy.

"They're beautiful" Zero whispered, looking at the models again, Aidou sat up and looked at them too.

"Really?" he asked "I just made them to pass the time"

"They're very good" Zero insisted "How will you keep them from melting?"

Aidou lifted them all up one by one and went over to a cupboard in the corner "No one uses this" he said "So I may as well" he opened the cupboard and placed them all in a line in the same order as before. Then closed the door and placed a hand on the side. The cupboard instantly misted slightly.

"If I freeze the inside so it's cold then they won't melt"

He smiled softly at the models before turning around to face Zero "By the way" he touched his hair and it straightened with a small shake of his head "Did you touch my hair?"

Zero smirked "Maybe"

* * *

In the middle of the night Zero's eyes snapped open, he didn't know what had awoken him at first but turning to one side he saw Aidou sleeping. He looked peaceful but after a few moments his face contorted and he moaned softly in his sleep. Zero sat up quietly and stared at him. Aidou rolled over and muttered something and then began to thrash at some unseen enemy. Zero stood up and went to sit beside him, he grabbed his two flailing arms and stared at the blonde again, perplexed.

"A nightmare" he murmured to himself, tears were running down Aidou's face and Zero felt an overwhelming urge to comfort him. No one was here, no one would know.

He gently rubbed Aidou's wrists soothingly.

"Shh" he whispered, praying no one would walk in which was stupid as they were alone anyway "it's ok, nothing's here to hurt you" Suddenly a flash of the Level E attacking Aidou appeared in Zero's mind and his expression hardened "I'm here to protect you" When nothing else worked, Zero climbed in beside Aidou and hugged him tightly, whispering the same things again and again "I'll protect you. I'm here. It's ok" Eventually Aidou calmed down. He didn't remember any of it in the morning.

* * *

**..**

"What's this?" Zero asked, rolling the turquoise marble between his finger and thumb, Aidou stopped towelling his hair and looked at it. Without thinking, he snatched from Zero.

"Sorry" he mumbled, holding the marble tightly in one hand "It's just-it's special" Zero blinked, raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything "It's a keepsake, to remind me"

"Remind you of what?"

"Of how I met Kaname" Aidou admitted, looking at the marble "And how I can't waver in believing in him ever or forget how kind he was to me when I was horrible"

"You have to be reminded of that?" Zero's eyebrows were raised even higher "I would've thought you did that anyway. No matter what"

"I do!" Aidou insisted "It's just-after that day-when he-I didn't know where to go"

"Is that when you came to the sun dorm?" Aidou nodded "And imposed yourself on me and Yuuki"

Aidou blushed "I-I didn't know where else to go. I needed to talk to the chairman and he-he wasn't there"

"Why did you want to talk to him?" Aidou's hand tightened on around the marble and his eyes narrowed.

"Why are you questioning me?" Aidou shouted "It's none of your business!" Zero frowned.

"Well if you came to me instead of the chairman then you obviously wanted to tell me then" The candles around Zero snuffed out and he tensed glaring at Aidou who glared back "I'm guessing that if Yuuki hadn't been there you would've told me" The air suddenly became very cold and Aidou looked incredibly blue as if the heat from had been drained from him, the shadows of the night making his anger look even more pronounced. Zero clenched his fists and Aidou mimicked him.

"Get out" Aidou said between gritted teeth "Get out now or I'll kill you"

"I think I could take you" Zero said lightly, fingering the bloody rose so that Aidou could see what he was doing.

"Oh I wouldn't bet on that" Aidou said with a cold smirk, "I've got ice and all you've got is a gun"

"A gun that can kill people like you"

"_You're_ people like me Zero!" Aidou shouted and Zero blinked when he saw tears in his eyes, Aidou blinked too but only to get rid of any sign of weakness "_You're_ one of us! You. Are. A. VAMPIRE!"

"I KNOW!" Zero picked up one of the vases on the table and threw it, it smashed by Aidou's head but he didn't flinch "I KNOW WHAT I AM!"

"THEN DEAL WITH IT!" Aidou screamed back at him "STOP HATING YOURSELF!"

"I DON'T-I don't-I-" Zero suddenly sank to the floor shaking, the cold vanished and the heat came back, Aidou dropped his hands and backed up until his back hit the wall behind "I only hate myself because of what I'm doing to Yuuki. How much I'm hurting her because I'm like this"

"it's not your fault" Aidou snapped "There's no need for you to hate yourself. People who hate themselves are pathetic, lonely, unloved and stupid"

"Like you?" Zero's tone wasn't unkind and if it had been he knew he'd be in for a fight defiantly by the way Aidou's fists were still clenched but Aidou just looked at him.

"I guess" he said softly, then he pointed to the vase "By the way, you're cleaning that up" Zero scoffed quietly before standing up; he wiped any tears away and cleaned the water and broken china.

"I don't hate myself anymore" he whispered to himself.

* * *

Aidou looked up when he felt someone watching him and saw Zero sitting across the table, his hands clasped together, the plate of food untouched in front of him. Aidou looked back to his book and then back at Zero.

"Can I help you with something?" he finally asked.

"That's quite a temper you've got" Zero said "I felt the whole room freeze and the candles obviously didn't like it"

"How do you know that was me who did that?" Aidou asked, looking at the book "It could have been the wind"

"Despite the fact that the window was shut yeah" Zero shifted "And that you told me you had ice anyway" he wiggled his fingers and Aidou remembered when he'd frozen them before.

"So why do you care?" Aidou said, giving up on the fact that there was hardly anything Zero didn't know about him "It's not like I'm going to freeze you to death"

"I've seen you use it before; I know what it can do"

"So what you're saying is, you feel...threatened by me" Aidou grinned

"No, that isn't what I'm saying" Zero ignored the annoyance he felt and tamped it down, something he only tried to do when Yuuki said something stupid "I'm saying, that why didn't you use it when that Level E attacked you?"

"My hands were trapped"

"So you need your hands to make it?"

"It helps" Aidou said with a shrug "Can I have some?" he asked looking at the food Zero hadn't eaten yet, in response Zero pushed it towards him.

"Help yourself"

* * *

On one occasion, Zero snuck out in the middle of the day when Aidou wasn't looking. He had told Aidou about wanting to go to the market place if his back felt good enough to walk and the blonde had panicked about the Level Es. Ignoring his word of warning Zero left anyway. He still didn't know why he hadn't gone back to the sun dorm yet, it was as if his body didn't want him to at times because whenever he thought about going his back gave him a lot of pain so he couldn't even sit up and Aidou had to take care of him again. He ran a hand through his hair and went into the first ice-cream shop he saw.

When Zero came back Aidou was nowhere to be seen, which was good because he didn't want a lecture but also weird because you'd always know where Aidou was, even when he didn't want you to. Going upstairs, he held the ice-creams he had carefully so that they didn't melt or if they did it didn't go all over his hands. He went into each room looking so he could Aidou his damn ice-cream.

'Ok so I shouldn't be blaming him for not being here' Zero thought to himself 'After all he didn't ask for the ice-cream and I disappeared'. He was about to go downstairs again and put the ice-cream into the freezer when he heard something. He followed the sound and then paused in the doorway, Aidou was in Takuma's room, he was taking some clothes out and folding them while singing softly to himself. Zero had known he liked to sing when he'd told him in that game of his. He just didn't know that he was..._good_. He listened to him singing for a while before thinking he should let him know that he's here.

"Ahem" Aidou froze and then whirled around "Finished?" Zero said smirking that smirk of his.

"How long were you standing there?" Aidou demanded and Zero grinned, remembering the first time he'd come in here and Aidou had been alone "Is that for me?" he was looking at the ice-cream. Zero nodded and handed it to him; Aidou began licking the sides before they went onto his hand and then started on the top. "Thanks" he said with his face in the ice-cream. Surprisingly he didn't get any anywhere.

"No problem, you said you liked sweet things, right" Aidou nodded, still licking the ice-cream "So what are those clothes for? Or have you got a sudden urge to do spring cleaning"

"They're for you" Aidou said, looking at them too "They're Takuma's less _eccentric_ clothes; I thought you'd be sick of wearing the same thing again and again"

"Thanks"

"How much do I owe you?" Aidou suddenly asked.

"What?"

"For the ice-cream. How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing" Zero said "Giving me these clothes is thanks enough"

"but-"

"Aidou," Zero said quietly, cutting him off "I brought the ice-cream because I wanted to, you don't need to pay me back" Aidou paused and then smiled.

"Thank you" and then when he crunched the cone in to his mouth and turned back to the clothes.

* * *

Zero groaned at the pain in his back, rolled his neck and stood up, he came down the stairs quietly in case Aidou was asleep. The notion changed when he realised that Aidou was, in fact, awake and in the kitchen. He came into the room and leant against the doorframe watching as Aidou mixed a bowl full of melted chocolate with some kind of determined fury. Most of the chocolate was getting on the table. He really was a terrible cook.

When Aidou looked up to reach for some eggs his hand stopped when he noticed Zero and then he carried on.

Aidou ignored Zero while he cooked and frowned when he saw Zero was trying hard not to laugh.

"What?" he finally asked, exasperated, Zero gave him a look which clearly stated that Aidou was an idiot if he didn't know "Alright, I know! I'm a terrible cook; I just wanted to try to make something. After all, practice makes perfect!" Zero rolled his eyes when Aidou got back to the mixing.

"Slow down!" he said, taking Aidou's hands off the wooden spoon, some chocolate splattered on his shirt but he just wiped at it. It wasn't his anyway "Take it easy when you're mixing" He placed one of Aidou's hands back on the spoon with his on top and the other on the side of the bowl to hold it down "Otherwise there'd food everywhere but the bowl" He shifted so he could see the bowl better, he could feel Aidou tense when he leaned over his shoulder "And relax, cooking is supposed to be relaxing, not a job" Aidou's shoulders went down as he did what Zero did "Now, _slowly_, mix" Zero guided Aidou's hands around "Scoop, drop and press, scoop, drop and press" Zero caught Aidou's expression and laughed "You get the picture"

Aidou could feel his face beginning to burn but he fought it back. He listened to Zero's slow voice in his ear and followed his short instructions without speaking.

* * *

"Huh, not bad" Zero said when he ate the brownies, he'd helped Aidou put it in the oven, put cold water on the finger Aidou had burnt even though Aidou said he'd just ice it and then took it out of the oven himself "You cooked it well" Aidou beamed.

"Well if it weren't for you then there wouldn't be any brownies at all" Aidou countered, taking a bite.

"Unless it was all over the walls" Aidou grinned and took another bite, his cheeks were flushed from the praise he's received and Zero found himself analysing him. Aidou was beautiful, there was no doubt about it, he was pretty small comparing him to Zero's height but he was strong and the fire in his personality seemed to belly the room with a sort of energy. His eyes were his best point; they showed his emotion wonderfully and shook whenever his cheeks turned red. Those eyes were alive when he was angry or when he was fighting. Then Zero realised what he was doing and shook his head.

* * *

As promised Zero's back was healing quicker than a regular humans would but he couldn't over-exert himself just yet as the skin around his shoulder blade was still tender. Aidou helped as much as he could and refrained from calling Yuuki because Zero didn't want her to panic. As always Aidou felt a pang of jealousy when he heard Yuuki's name but this time it wasn't because of Kaname but because of Zero. He ignored what his brain told him and just tried to show Zero that he could consider Aidou as a friend...at least.

Zero would cook their meals and Aidou would help. Aidou would either read a book during the day or talk to Zero and they'd find out more about each other and get to know the other better.

Zero began his unhealthy habit of watching Aidou sleep and occasionally comforts him when he had nightmares but Aidou never woke to find Zero in the bed with him, hugging him as he burrowed his tear-soaked face into his chest.

When they both remembered they had exams when the holidays were over they began studying together. It was nice and they were both calm and relaxed with the other by now. Both trying hard not to think about when it might be over and both thinking the other wouldn't care as much.

* * *

Aidou sighed as he poured over a book in biological catalysts, it wasn't hard to study, after all he'd done so all his life, but it _was_ boring.

Zero, however, found it as a way to pass the time. He wasn't super smart like Aidou but he wasn't dumb either, he came second in every class in the day class and used his study time mostly to help Yuuki out with hers. So when it came to it, studying for himself wasn't so bad and it relaxed him more than sleeping did.

Aidou walked past Zero's room to find the other boy engrossed in a book. He came in quietly and sat down beside him, Zero glanced at him and then back at the book.

"Hi" Aidou said in a low tone so that he didn't disturb Zero.

"Hey" Zero replied "Want me to test you?" Aidou blinked in surprise but then shrugged.

"Ok" Zero sat up and sat cross-legged opposite Aidou.

"What are Enzymes?"

"Biological Catalysts which are usually in Plant or Animal cells"

"What starts off the decaying process?"

"Detritus feeders"

"What is Ecology?"

"The study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment"

"What is the definition of an Isotope?"

"An element with the same number of protons and a different number of neutrons"

"How do you feel about your friend Zero Kiryu?" Zero didn't know why he said it, nor did he intend to catch Aidou off guard but it did and the answer he received shocked him.

"I think I'm getting a crush on him" Then Aidou realised what he'd said, and who he'd said it to. He clapped a hand over his mouth and stood up "I-I didn't-" And then he ran out of the room leaving Zero staring at the question he was supposed to ask him.

Thinking that going after him would only make things worse Zero closed the book and lay on his bed.

He sighed and closed his eyes. _I think I'm getting a crush on him._ Aidou's words echoed around in his head.

"I think I am too" he said aloud to himself.

Outside the room, Aidou pressed a hand over his mouth to hide his gasp when he heard those words. Then another hand covered his.

"Hello, Hanabusa" A voice whispered in his ear before he was dragged away.

* * *

Zero sensed Aidou was in danger before hearing the scuffle going on outside. He got up and went to investigate. Opening the door greeted him with seeing a man holding Aidou and hauling him away.

"Hey!" He shouted running for them but his movements were stopped by a rope tugging at his feet, the man turned and smiled. Zero looked at Aidou, his eyes were wide and terrified but they were not looking at him. Zero looked over his shoulder and saw the group of Level E's standing at the far end of the corridor. Waiting...for a command to attack.

"Who are you?" Zero growled at the man, the man's eyes narrowed.

"The only thing you have to know is my name" he said "My name is Kaerf Yagamai. Be sure to tell it to Kuran Kaname before you die" Aidou gave a muffled yell which acted as a warning for him. Zero rolled over and kicked the Level E that ran towards him. They must've had a command. He stood up and turned to see that Kaerf and Aidou had gone but when he tried to move, to run after them and leave the Level Es he found that he couldn't.

He looked down at his torso and saw thick black smoke ropes holding him in place. Just like the ones Kuran Rido had used. He struggled against the bonds as the Level Es came closer; one grabbed him from behind and looked at his neck admiringly. Zero shut his eyes and waited for the bite which didn't come. He opened his eyes to see the Level Es retreating with whimpers of fear. The ropes disappeared from Zero and he turned to see Kaname. The rest of the night class was behind, disposing of the level Es.

"Where is Aidou?" Kaname said, his voice cold, Zero looked at him trying to figure out why they were here when they'd promised to be here 3 days earlier, and how they knew about the Level Es "Where is he?" One look at Zero's face and Kaname knew. He's gone.

* * *

Zero explained what he was doing here in as little words as possible, he then told them what happened and at the name Kaerf Yagamai Kaname crushed a piece of paper in his hands.

Takuma then explained what the note said, it was from a KY which was obviously Kaerf and it said three words. _I have him_.

"Who is he?" Zero asked them all and when he received no answer except glances at Kain and Kaname he directed his question at them "Well? Who is he? You obviously all know him and he has Aidou. I want to know!" When the shock in their eyes registered with Zero's brain he realised he'd made a mistake.

"Why do you care?" Ruka said but it wasn't in a cold tone as it usually was but in a questioning one "You've never cared before unless it concerned Cross Yuuki"

"Well I-" Zero didn't know why he was so angry but he could feel rage building up inside him, suddenly Kaname grabbed his wrist and bit into it. He snatched it back and glared at him. Kaname's hard gaze stared back.

"You've drunk Aidou's blood before" he accused and it started an uproar which Kaname simply silenced with a raise of his hand "Why?"

"It was an accident" Zero snapped defensively "I didn't mean to, he was bleeding and-"

"Why was he bleeding?"

"Because of the level E attack!" Zero exploded "I've told you! And we're just sitting here discussing why I care and why I've drunk his blood when we should be saving him. You don't need to know why; you just need to know that I do care! I care a lot, now can we go find him already!"

"He's mine and Aidou's uncle" Zero's eyes flickered to the one who'd spoken.

"Kain" Takuma said putting a hand on his shoulder but Kain shrugged it off.

"Well he's right" he said "He has Hanabusa and we're wasting time. If Zero wants to help that's up to him but he needs to know what he's dealing with" Takuma looked at Kaname who just nodded.

"So he's your uncle" Zero repeated "What does he want with his nephew?"

"Revenge" Kain said "Revenge on Hanabusa's parents and then a revenge on the council"

"Why?"

"Because when he started to kill vampires for power the council needed to stop him and to stop him they needed help. They got that help from Hanabusa's parents. He vowed to kill their only son and destroy the council before he disappeared. No one's heard from him for 9 years" Kain paused, then added "I only know this because of what my father told me. I don't know if the rest is true but the threat is. It's been proven"

"He wants to _kill _Aidou?"

"Yes but he won't do it now" Kain assured them both "He'll want to make a show of it, to show everyone he's back. We just have to find out where and then stop him"

"Right" Zero stood up and faced them all "So what're we waiting for?"

* * *

Aidou was sitting stony faced in the back of a limousine. Kaerf was in front of him with an amused expression.

"Is that a face any uncle wants to see?" he said and Aidou looked away angrily "What are you so upset for? I've not hurt you"

"No but you've killed a friend of mine!" Aidou said looking back at him with rage mixed with grief in his swimming blue eyes.

"A level D?" His uncle said in disbelief "I hardly think that's a friend worth an Aristocrat vampire's time"

"Well I do" Aidou looked at the window but couldn't see anything out of it as they were tinted black "Where are we going?"

"To visit your parents" Aidou's head snapped up at that.

"Why?" but all Kaerf did was press a finger to his lips and smile.

* * *

"Hanabusa?" Aidou wouldn't look up when he heard his mother's voice, his fists were clenched and he was shaking "What's wrong? Why are you here and not at the academy? Have you decided to come home for the holidays? I thought you wanted to-"

"Mother" Aidou's quivering voice stopped her "Please, run"

"What?" She was about to ask Aidou what he was talking about when a hand went on his shoulder and Kaerf stepped forwards. She gasped, pressed a hand to her mouth and tried to drag her son from his grasp "No! Hanabusa!"

"Hello Kyota" Kaerf said wrapping an arm around Aidou's waist and pulling him away from her "How lovely to see you again. Where's the Lord of the house" As if on cue Aidou's father arrived.

"What is wrong with everyone, I was-" he stopped speaking as if his tongue had been cut off, the words gone before they came back in a flurry "Kaerf! Get off my son!"

"No" Kaerf smiled "I only came here to show you I have him. If you want him back, follow me" And he turned away, pulling Aidou with him.

"No!" Aidou's mother ran down the steps along with his father, she grabbed Aidou's hand and he tried hard to hold on but Kaerf slammed an elbow into her face. She fell to the ground at his feet. Aidou screamed but he was bundled into the car. It drove off just as his parents recovered.

* * *

"Thank you Seiren" Kaname said softly, turning his back on her bow and then looking at the rest "Kaerf has made an appearance at Aidou's house. His parents are following him as he told them too. He seems to be coming to the school. The place where we are not to be discovered"

"A perfect place for a show" Takuma clarified.

"Then shouldn't we be getting ready for a fight?" Zero demanded "I mean if we're gonna stop him then we need to be ready" Ruka shot him a look which he ignored.

"Yes, we should" Kain agreed, he didn't know what to make of Zero's panicked concern for Aidou's safety but he knew he wasn't the only one. Everyone cared for Aidou. In their own little way.

"Why is there a statue of me in the cupboard?" Everyone looked at Rima who'd spoken and then looked at the cupboard in question. When Ruka went to open it Zero stopped her.

"Don't touch them" he said "Aidou made them and they'll melt if you take them out of there"

Everyone was looking at them now but no one opened the cupboard. Takuma grinned at his and ironically mimicked his pose once he'd seen it.

"A car's arriving" Shiki murmured softly and they all listened too.

"Aidou" Zero whispered and then ran from the room with Kain close behind.

**

* * *

**

Kaerf wrapped his arms around Aidou again and pulled him out. The blonde was struggling like a wild animal now, contorting his body and nearly flying out of his arms but a backhand across his face stopped him.

"Let me go" Aidou whispered "Please" Kaerf ignored him with a hard look and made Aidou walk ahead of him up the steps to the day class tower, every time Aidou stopped or tried to run away he was pushed hard so he fell and was forced to stand back up "Why are we going here?"

"Don't ask questions" Kaerf was uncharacteristically blunt "Just walk and don't stop" Aidou continued up the steps as he was told but once at the top he pushed Kaerf back and tried to run past. The ropes shot out and bound him before he could even put his feet on the ground and he crashed to the floor. He fell down three stone steps before Kaerf grabbed him.

"No!" he cried but he was made to stand again and to walk up those three steps he'd fallen, there was blood trickling down one side of his cheek and he grimaced at the strong inviting smell.

"Stop" Kaerf grabbed him by the collar to make sure he did and then pushed him out the window. Aidou grabbed hold of the ledge and held on; Kaerf followed him out and pulled him up. The wind was strong out here and Aidou realised that the only thing holding him up was Kaerf. They both looked down and saw Aidou's parents arriving at the school.

"Welcome! Lord and Lady Aidou!" Kaerf shouted down below and they both stopped and looked up.

"Hanabusa!" Aidou's mother screamed up at him "Kaerf! Don't! _Please_, don't!" Aidou's eyes were wide as Kaerf brought the knife out from under his coat.

"Aidou!" Both their heads snapped to the left at the sound. Zero was on the roof next to them, bracing against the wind and Kain was climbing out a window to join him "Let. Him. _Go_!"

"Zero!" Aidou screamed half in joy and half in fear; Kaerf raised the knife and placed it on Aidou's neck.

"Get off him!" Zero growled coming closer but Kaerf only smiled and licked the blood off Aidou's cheek; Aidou closed his eyes and turned his face away with a moan "I'm warning you"

"And what do you plan to do Level D?" Kaerf said "How far do you plan to go for him? Do you actually care for him?"

"Yes" Zero answered immediately and then he thought longer, he thought of Aidou helping him when he was hurt, of Aidou blushing when he was embarrassed, the models Aidou spent so long making, Aidou smiling opposite him as they ate, Aidou talking with him, sleeping near him, being with him for more than a month, hearing his laugh and then his confession of his liking Zero. So he added "I love him"

Kain froze as he pulled himself up and out of the window and stared at Zero's back whilst Zero just kept staring at Aidou. The blonde was frozen in shock and then the biggest smile formed over his face "Zero, I-" Whatever he was going to say was cut up when Kaerf shook him.

"A confession too late because now you'll watch him die!"

"NOO!" Zero lunged for Kaerf who wasn't expecting such recklessness and let go of Aidou. With a scream Aidou did the first thing he could things of as he fell, he formed an ice rope which spun him to the left and snapped. Zero tried to reach his hand as he fell towards the ground; their fingers touched before Kaerf grabbed Zero and pulled him back "AIDOU!"

As fast as lightning Kain zoomed across, caught Aidou and landed on the opposite roof with Aidou still in his arms. Zero looked at him and the now safe Aidou and nodded his appreciation.

"You, stupid Level D!" Zero turned to see Kaerf holding his chest, one of the wooden spikes from the roof was embedded in it. It must've stabbed him when Zero had pushed him away.

Sliding his bloody rose out of his belt he aimed it for the dying vampire.

"Your choice" he said "You either die slowly or quickly but you will die" Kaerf stared at him and then at the weapon.

"No I won't" he growled "All I need is blood and I'll recover" he barred his fangs and threw himself onto Zero who only had to dodge to send the other vampire flying. He watched as he fell and the wooden spike hit the ground to lodge itself deeper into him

* * *

.

Zero leapt down from the roof just as the rest of the night class flied out. Kain and Aidou were among them. The first thing Aidou did was push past them all, run towards Zero and throw his arms around his neck.

"I love you too" he whispered into Zero's neck and Zero took that as an invitation to kiss him. Which he did. Long and hard.

"So that's why he cared so much" Ruka's voice brought them both back and they looked at them all, Aidou's arms still around Zero's neck. Kain and Takuma were both smiling and even though his face was cold Kaname's eyes were shining which either meant he'd hoped Zero would find someone else other than Yuuki or it meant that he had been hoping for Aidou to find someone other than himself.

Rima had a look of amusement about him and Shiki was missing.

"He's gone to get the chairman" Kain answered before Aidou could ask "Because of Kaerf and one girl from the day class saw what happened" Aidou nodded and dropped his arms from Zero's neck. His face was burning and he knew he was blushing.

"So what exactly went on while we were all away?" Ruka asked.

"You know what went on" Zero said "I've told you"

"Obviously not all, there wasn't any kissing in what you told us"

"That's because there wasn't any" Aidou said "This was our-"

"I've seen a first kiss!" Takuma said happily "I've always wanted to see one" Everyone stared at him and then laughed.

**

* * *

**

Yuuki was informed of everything, a quarter of it through the chairman, a quarter of it through Kaname, a quarter through Kain and the rest through Zero. She accepted Aidou and Zero's relationship better than the day class girls did. Most still burst into tears when they saw them holding hands. Now they had a new hobby, catching Aidou and Zero kissing. Aidou found it funny while Zero found it annoying. Just as they'd spent their holiday together, they spent their free time together.

Aidou spent a few days at his parents' house so they could get over the fact that their son wasn't dead. Aidou told his mother about him and Zero first because he knew she'd accept him no matter what. She was shocked at first but his near death experience caused her early acceptance. His father was not so easy to allow such a 'thing' to happen in his family but after a few words from his wife and the logic that all his daughters were successful and most married and that Aidou was already incredibly clever, he came to terms with it. On one condition.

The condition was that Zero had to come for dinner to impress his parents. The dinner had Zero in a suit and Aidou sitting beside him. Aidou's father haggled at Zero constantly only stopping after a hand on his arm from his wife. Zero remained calm and answered each question loudly and clearly but it was when he lost his temper and the fact that one look at Aidou's distraught expression was enough to stop him, convinced Lord Aidou. The dinner was a success

* * *

.

It was in the middle of the day when Zero walked out of class, Yuuki's eyes followed him out but she remained seated. He'd done this since the holidays had ended. Always the same time.

Kain was lying awake in his dark room, Aidou now preferred it like that for reasons classified but he'd guessed why. Aidou had obviously slept like that during the holidays. He couldn't sleep tonight and wanted to solve the mystery of the open window. He knew he shut the window when he slept but it was always open when he woke up. He froze when he heard the window in question squeak and tensed for a fight. He heard the sound of a body thump into the room and then the rustling of clothes. Kain turned his head quietly and saw Zero sitting on the bed next to Aidou's head. The blonde was asleep. _What's he doing here_?

Zero swept some of Aidou's hair from his forehead and kissed it softly. Then he leaned back and waited. Kain watched him though his lashes, pretending to be asleep and then Aidou moaned. His eyebrows were furrowed and he bit his lip in his sleep. Then he began to thrash. Zero climbed in beside him and wrapped his arms around him, rocking him and whispering soothing words. Eventually Aidou calmed down and slept peacefully with his head against Zero's shoulder. Zero pressed his cheek onto Aidou's forehead and closed his eyes.

"Cute" Zero's eyes flashed open at the word and he turned to see Kain watching him, wide awake. He gently eased himself out of bed without waking Aidou and stood up "You don't have to go. If he has nightmares, you should comfort him" Zero stared at him, besides smiling when they had first kissed Kain had not shown any interest in his and Aidou's relationship. Not saying whether he minded or not. At least not to Zero "I care about my cousin Kiryu. I care a lot about him and I know you do to. If you make him happy then who am I to be against your relationship?" Zero smiled.

"Thanks" he said "But I usually go now anyway. To get back to class" Before he went he leant down and kissed Aidou, ran a finger over his top lip, then jumped out the window.

Kain stood up and closed it. 'Mystery over' He thought to himself 'The Window opener was Zero'.

Aidou shifted and rolled over, his mouth opened slightly and he whispered one word in his sleep.

"Zero" Kain smiled at his cousin and then went back to bed.

**

* * *

**

"Morning Zero!" Yuuki chirped when he woke up and came into the kitchen.

"Morning" he said "Where's the chairman?" Yuuki shrugged and sat down at the table.

"Today's the weekend, what do you want to do?"Zero stared at her, she sounded just like Aidou had, every single day in the holidays he'd asked the same question.

"I'll go over to the moon dorm" he said and she nodded "If it's the weekend why're you in your uniform?"

"Because even on the weekends I'm a school guardian and disciplinary committee member!" Zero smiled at her enthusiasm. She was like a girl version of Aidou sometimes "You should be in uniform too" Zero rolled his eyes but went to his room to change.

After he was wearing his uniform he went straight to the moon dorm. One knock at the door and Aidou opened it; he hugged Zero and pulled him inside. The rest of the night class was most likely asleep but Rima and Shiki were sitting there, with glasses full of water and blood tablets.

Zero nodded to them all and followed Aidou up the stairs. Since it still daytime Aidou explained that everyone was asleep and that he was just about to go to Zero's dorm instead of sleeping as well. Kain was in the market with Takuma because he'd figured Aidou wouldn't be here all day. There was a book on the bed which Aidou told Zero he'd been reading while he waited until it was time that he knew Zero would be awake. Zero sat down and opened the page; it was of a couple lying in bed and talking. Just talking. He smiled and closed the book to look over at Aidou; he was picking at bobbles on his cardigan and had the smallest of smiles on his lips.

"A romance novel?" he asked dryly but the grin took any bite out of it "I wouldn't think you'd read those"

"They're nice" Aidou said with a shrug "Sweet and...helpful"

"Helpful?" Zero knew what that meant but wanted to hear it from Aidou. After a moment of silence however he spoke again "You mean, you want-?" Aidou stood up.

"I don't know" he said softly "Maybe not now, maybe I'm not ready but I keep thinking that, that I'll lose you" Zero stood up and did something he'd never done before. He hugged Aidou from behind and rested his chin on the top of head.

"You won't. You've seen how I've been with Yuuki. Protecting her at every moment even when she doesn't need me to. I've never wanted to do that to someone else" He tightened his arms "But when those Level Es were in the dorm or outside, or when that Kaerf took you, I realised I needed you. Yuuki doesn't need me, she has Kaname. You and me, we were alone" Aidou closed his eyes and leant into his embrace "Now we're not. I need you and, and you-"

Aidou turned to face Zero, their faces centimetres apart "And I need you" he kissed Zero softly and then, when Zero pressed back, he melded his mouth against his.

"If you want this" Zero whispered "Then I won't stop you"

"Do_ you_ want this?" Aidou asked, looking in Zero's eyes. Zero nodded and led Aidou back to the bed they both sat down "Then so do I"

Zero kissed him again and Aidou lay down to let him have more leash, the blanket was pulled over them and their kisses became more passionate.

When Kain came to back from the market he saw them both lying side by side, Zero's arm draped over Aidou, their breath mingling. He smiled and pulled the blankets up to their chins and then went to sleep himself. Aidou wasn't plagued by nightmares tonight.


End file.
